Enchanted in the Moonlight ~ Shinra ~ Main Story

3.1 A long day

I'm so sorry it took so long.
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The next morning...

I unlock the door to head into the hallway, but the door won't open.

(Huh? It feels heavy.)

"Ngh!" I pull really hard and it finally opens a little.

(What was that for a sound?)

I peek out the door and see Shinra, asleep on the ground in the hall.

(Shinra was lying against the door. That's why I couldn't open it. But why was he sleeping here?)

Shinra looks me in the eyes. "When you're asleep, you're the most vulnerable to an attack."

"Was it really to protect me from an attack?" I ask confused.

"...Mmm... Hey, you're awake." He yawns. "You're safe. All is well."

(He was...)
"Ouch... Weird. I've got a bump on my head!" Shinra stretches, rubbing his head dreamily.

"Were you..."

Suddenly he grins. "Hey, you were calling my name in your sleep."

"What?!" I'm shocked.

Shinra comes up close to my face and whispers in my ear. "And your voice sounded really dirty. What kind of dream were you having?"

I'm panicking. "Y-you're lying!"

He grins devilish. "Yeah, I am."

(Ugh! I hate this!)

-- Time skip --

At work.

Shinra's been frequenting the library every day since we made our agreement.

"Morning, Ayame." Ikumi greets me.

"Morning."

"Hehe. He's here again." She laughs. "It must be nice to have a guy like him so in love with you!"

"I told you, you've got it all wrong!" I blush.

Ikumi laughs again. "Okay, okay. You don't have to blush."

(Oh no... Ikumi has completely misunderstood my relationship with Shinra.)

I'm on my way to do some reshelving when I discover Shinra in the children's section.

One kid is looking up at Shinra. "Hey Mister. Play with me?"

"You're a kid. Find a kid to play with." Shinra says to the kid.

"But you're always hanging around here! You're never busy!" The kid whines.

"I AM busy!" Shinra angrily growls.

Another kid cuts in. "Liar. You're here every day. I bet you don't have a job."

"Yeah, you don't have a job!" The other kid agrees.

(They're bulling Shinra?)

Shinra angrily yells: "I have a job!"

"Oh no! He's mad!" The kids scream.

"Looks like there are some bad kids in need of punishing. I can handle that." Shinra grins.

He grabs one of the kids by his shirt collar throws him up in the air.

"Careful!" I yell.

When the child is about to hit the floor, Shinra catches him.

(What is he doing with these kids?!)

I run over to yell at him when...

"Hahaha!"

"That was fun! Do it again!"

(Huh?)

The kids swarm around Shinra, hanging onto him.

"Me, too!"

"Me next!"

Before he knows what's happening, Shinra is surrounded.

(Huh? Looks like they like him.)

"Geez, how many times do I have to do this before you guys get bored? Kids are so annoying." He says as he holds up one of the kids with both arms.

(I guess oni really have supernatural strength... Ugh, stop thinking about it!)